Award Data

In this proposal, AlphaSense, Inc. (AI) and the University of Michigan (UM) detail the development of a compact, portable, and low cost in-process weld defects detection system. Key innovations of the proposed system include: a) weld defects monitoring based on plasma emission characteristics; b) use the electron temperature of the plasma as an indicator of the weld quality, c) use multiple plasma ...

To reach the end user, oil and gas production at the wellhead must be transmitted through the country and distributed to a wide range of customers. This logistical system requires natural gas gathering lines, processing facilities, product storage tanks and lots of other equipment. What results is air pollution caused by industry losses during these operations and the use of continuous or intermit ...

For this project, we plan to collaborate with researchers in the neuroscience department at the University of Delaware to develop an FPGA-based embedded computer, inspired in the brains small vertebrates (fish). The mechanisms of object detection and avoidance in fish have been extensively studied by our Delaware collaborators. The midbrain optic tectum is a biological multimodal navigation cont ...

Modern DoD applications are benefiting from the proliferation of EO/IR sensor technology. As imagers become cheaper and smaller, they are being more widely deployed for a variety of scenarios. This trend is exemplified by the Navys Future Targeting System (FTS), which will provide laser designation, laser spot imaging, and some target location functions in a single 5.5-pound unit, replacing discre ...

This proposal will supply to NAVAIR and to rotorcraft manufacturing companies the emerging solution to their fabrication needs as it relates to the production of Rotor Blade Spars. The process and machine concept developed in Phase I will provide NAVAIR and the rotocraft manufacturing companies an automated solution to spar manufacturing. This will enable: • Low part manufacturing cost • High ...

Lanxide Corporation proposes to demonstrate innovative approaches for fabrication of thin wall ceramic sheet. The goal of this project is to make a low weight ceramic recuperator suitable for aero-engine applications. Lanxide will extend current processing techniques using commercial paper mill for forming continuous ceramic preform sheet with goal of reducing recuperator wall thickness from a c ...

Accudyne proposes a SBIR program, endorsed by Sikorsky, Cytec Engineered Materials, and NASA-LaRC, to develop a cost-effective thermoplastic automated tow placement (ATP) process and demonstrate it by fabricating and testing a complex contoured skin (Phase 1) and a CH-53K rotorcraft lower cabin or ramp skin (Phase 2). The process employs in situ consolidation, avoiding the autoclave. The targete ...

This SBIR Phase I proposal will demonstrate the manufacture of a OOA composite using infrared radiation and compaction technology, an innovative resin film, and a resin film infusion process to produce aerospace quality thermoplastic composite. A low concentration of IR absorber is blended into a resin polymer and cast as a thin film. The resin film is interleaved with a carbon fabric reinforcemen ...

In this SBIR effort we will develop a balanced detection analog photonic link consisting of a DFB laser, a dual-output high-speed, low-Vp mach-zehnder modulator (MZM) and a high-power, high-linearity balanced photodetector (BPD) using a dual-core, single mode, multicore fiber (MCF) that is supplied by our subcontractor, OFS. We will design, fabricate and characterize (phase I) the MZM and the BPD, ...

Automobile three-way catalyst (TWC) are quite efficient at steady state operatingtemperature typically destroying 98% of incoming hydrocarbons (HCs) and carbonmonoxide (CO). However, up to 80% of emissions occur during the first fewminutes of Federal Test Procedure when the engine is running rich, the engine iscold and TWC has not reached light-off temperature. To significantly reduce HCsand CO ...